The Government of Telangana has proposed to spend Rs.405.17 crores on enhancing water supply in eleven AMRUT cities in the state during the current financial year of 2015-16.

The Government of Telangana has proposed to spend Rs 405.17 crore on enhancing water supply in eleven AMRUT cities in the state during the current financial year of 2015-16.

The state government has submitted State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) in this regard to the Ministry of Urban Development for consideration and approval. The total plan outlay proposed for this financial year under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is Rs 415.51 crore including Rs 6.05 crore on capacity building of urban local bodies.

The state government has proposed to focus on enhancing water supply in all 11 mission cities since water supply in all these cities at present is below the prescribed norm of 135 litres per capita per day.

As per AMRUT Guidelines, priority is to be given to ensuring water supply and sewerage network connections to all urban households besides ensuring water supply of 135 lpcd.

The state government in their proposed SAAP informed that water supply at present in AMRUT cities in the state ranged from 65 lpcd in Ramagundam to 114 lpcd in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Water supply in other mission cities and towns is: Mahaboobnagar-75 lpcd, Warangal-80 lpcd, Suryapet-90 lpcd, Miryalaguda-90 lpcd, Khamman-100 lpcd, Adilabad-102 lpcd, Nalgonda-102 lpcd, Nizamabad-108 lpcd and Karimnagar-109 lpcd.

Extent of coverage of households with water supply connections in the 11 mission cities at present ranged from 35% in Ramagundam to 86.50% in Suryapet. The coverage in other mission cities is: Mahaboobnagar-40%, Miryalaguda-40%, Nizamabad-45%, Adilabad-48.50%, Nalgonda-52.88%, Khamman-54.22%, Warangal-58.82%, GHMC-76% and Karimnagar-78%.

The state government has proposed to ensure water supply and sewerage connections to almost all households in these 11 mission cities by 2020 besides enhancing water supply to 135 lpcd.

Proposed investments in different mission cities are based on principles of prioritization. As per AMRUT Guidelines, priority is to be given to cities where infrastructure gaps are more and for urban local bodies with less financial capabilities.

SAAP for 2015-16 is an integration of city level Service Level Improvement Plans(SLIP) of all 11 mission cities. SLIP for each city is prepared based on gaps in available infrastructure and measures to be taken for bridging these gaps.

Telangana’s SAAP for 2015-16 under Atal Mission will be considered by an inter-ministerial Apex Committee chaired by Secretary (UD) very soon. If the proposed SAAP for Rs.415.51crores is approved, the share of central government would come to Rs.210.30 cr. The rest has to be contributed by the state government and respective urban local bodies.

Under AMRUT, central government would bear one third to half of project cost based on population of each city. If the population if above 10 lakhs, central assistance would be one third of the project cost and for others, it would be half of the project cost. Centre would bear entire cost of capacity building of urban local bodies. Telangana Government has proposed to train 2,898 elected representatives and officials of urban local bodies of 11 mission states during 2015-16.

Out of the 11 mission states in Telangana, only GHMC has a population of 67 lakhs while nine have population in the range of one to three lakhs and Warangal has a population of eight lakhs.

Under AMRUT, central assistance to be provided is decided based on total urban population and number of statutory urban local bodies in each state.

Telangana has a total urban population of 93 lakhs in the 11 cities included in Atal Mission. Central assistance to be provided each year is decided based on these criteria.

During the five year mission period of AMRUT, Telangana Government has proposed to invest Rs.5,413 crores on water supply and Rs.5435 crores on providing sewerage connections to all households in 11 mission cities. Green spaces and parks are proposed to be developed at a cost of Rs.89 crores.